Florida Racing

Having saddled more than 500 winners on synthetic surfaces in his multiple graded stakes-winning career, Kevin Attard said his interest was piqued last week when the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) said in a release it would be utilizing an all-weather Tapeta track as its exclusive winter racing surface at the new Belmont Park when it opens in 2026. "It's definitely something I've contemplated for a bit now. The fact that a synthetic track is going in there is a little bit more enticing for myself and I'm sure...

Former Eclipse Award-winning apprentice jockey Drayden Van Dyke, a mainstay in Southern California, will move his tack to Gulfstream Park for 30 days to ride for trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. The multiple Grade I-winning rider and his agent, Ryan Cosato, will then evaluate where Van Dyke will be based in the future. "We'll bring him out there for about a month," said Cosato. "If he does well, we'll go from there. There's no big announcement. We're just giving it a try." Van Dyke took a break from riding for a...

Florida House of Representatives Stan McClain will receive the inaugural Matt Bryan Distinguished Advocacy Award from the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association at their annual Gala Monday. In a press release Friday, the FTBOA acknowledged McClain as helping to extend House Bill 7063, an incentives package for Florida breeding and racing interests. "We were excited to be able to expand Florida's investment supporting the Florida Thoroughbred industry on a long-term basis," said McClain. "I'm looking forward to watching how this investment helps the industry thrive in upcoming years." Rep....

Florida lawmakers passed a tax package May 5 that includes significant support for the state's Thoroughbred industry. With the support of Senate President Kathleen Passidomo; Senator Blaise Ingoglia, the Finance and Tax Chair; and Senator Jason Pizzo; House Speaker Paul Renner; Representative Stan McClain, Chair of the House Ways and Means Committee; and Representative Lawrence McClure, chair of the State Affairs Committee; as well as Wilton Simpson, Florida's Commissioner of Agriculture, the package includes $27.5 million annually for two years to bolster purses and racing awards at Gulfstream Park and...

Simplification (Not This Time) was named the 2022 Florida-bred Horse of the Year in a vote by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association board of directors. Bred by France Weiner and her late husband Irwin Weiner, Simplification, who was also named the 2022 Florida-bred Champion 3-Year-Old Colt, was recognized for his victories in the GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. in April and in the Mucho Macho Man S. in January, both at Gulfstream. He also produced several other graded-stakes performances in 2022 including a fourth-place finish in the...

1st-Gulfstream, $70,000, Msw, 3-17, 3yo, 1mT, 1:34.64, fm, nose. KALIK (c, 3, Collected--Coronation Street, by Street Cry {Ire}) began his career in a Sept. 16 Belmont at Big A maiden special over the main track which yielded 'TDN Rising Star' Signator (Tapit) and next-out winner Warman Road (Unified), finishing last in that field. The Triple Crown-nominated chestnut was moved to the turf and stretched out to 1 1/16 miles Oct. 23 at the venue, and came a much improved second to next-out stakes-winner Bat Flip (Good Magic). Opening his sophomore...

Every week, the TDN publishes a roundup of key official rulings from the primary tracks within the four major racing jurisdictions of California, New York, Florida and Kentucky. Here's a primer on how each of these jurisdictions adjudicates different offenses, what they make public (or not) and where.   CALIFORNIA Track: Santa Anita Date: 06/10/2022 Licensee: Jessica Pyfer, jockey Penalty: Three-day suspension Violation: Careless riding Explainer: Jockey Jessica Pyfer, who rode Picture of a Lady in the first race at Santa Anita Park on June 5, 2022, is suspended for...

Nine nominees have been selected for the upcoming 2022 Florida Horsemen's Benevolent & Protective Association election, to be held Mar. 15, 2022. Nominations were submitted during the FHBPA's annual general nominating meeting and awards dinner at Gulfstream Park Dec. 11. The nine candidates are owners Brad Beilly, Adam Lazarus, Troy Levy, David Rousso and Stephen Screnci; and trainers Kathy Davey, Michael Lerman, Joe Orseno and Terri Pompay. The FHBPA is supervised and managed by a Board of 15 Directors. Six seats are reserved for Owner/Directors, and six seats are reserved...

A new era at Gulfstream Park is set to begin Sept. 23 when the track will hold its first ever races on a Tapeta synthetic surface. Including two substitute races, there are three races in the condition book scheduled for that day on Tapeta along with three grass races that will instead be run on the synthetic surface. The Gulfstream grass course will be given a break after the card of Sept. 19 and will not be used again until the Championship meet begins. Once that happens, Gulfstream will be...

Florida-based trainer Alfredo Lichoa is among five people who have been arrested afer a money-laundering investigation that was conducted by the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, the same agency that has indicted 27 people as part of a horse-doping ring. Lichoa and the others were arrested Mar. 9, the same day the FBI rounded up Jason Servis, Jorge Navarro and 25 others indicted for their alleged role in treating racehorses with performance-enhancing drugs. The money-laundering story was first reported by Paulick Report. Lichoa, a native of...

Florida-based trainer Georgina Baxter has been suspended 25 days and hit with a $7,500 fine after three of her horses tested positive for two non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications, according to a report in the Daily Racing Form. The suspension began Feb. 24 and will run through Mar. 19. According to documents from the state's racing regulatory agency, the Florida Division of Business and Professional Regulations, 10-year-old Trev (Exclusive Quality), 11-year-old Blings Express (Too Much Bling) and 6-year-old Fallen Leaf (A.P. Warrior) were found to have excessive amounts of the anti-inflammatories flunixin...